I'm here
by Fifrildi
Summary: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THOR: RAGNAROK. It was just another illusion. Like always, there would not be anything solid to meet his hand, if he reached out. So he just threw the item in his hand towards the image. And stopped when the illusion caught it. "I'm here."


**Author's Note: It has been a while since I've written proper fanfiction and published it. Last time it was based on Thor The Dark World, this time I got my inspiration from the new movie Thor: Ragnarok. So still going strong with that. :D This was written in 2-3 hours after seeing the movie. My inner writer just couldn't let me go. :D**

 **This has been posted on my two tumblr blogs as well: my personal and my roleplayblog. Just telling that no, I am not posting anyone else's work.**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)**

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It didn't hurt that much anymore. It just felt odd.

When Thor lost his hammer it felt like part of him was ripped away. The moment when Mjolnir didn't return to him from Hela's grip was like she was holding his wrist, ready to snap his arm. And finally when she destroyed the hammer, the explosion it caused and the silent thud of the hammer's pieces as they hit the ground; Thor was sure he could never forget it. Despite his father's words that the hammer was not the origin of his power but a way to control it, they had been together for so long that it still felt like someone had wounded him physically.

He would miss his loyal friend but now he knew he could control his powers without it as well. But the longing still remained.

Losing an eye, well that had actually physically hurt. Asgardians were strong but it didn't mean they were beyond feeling pain. For a second there was burning, tearing agony at Thor's eyesocket before it spread all over his face. His entire vision seemed to switch on and off as his remaining eye tried to focus on things in front of him. That's when it had hurt the most.

Now it just felt odd. He could see but he also couldn't see. Not the same way at least.

Fingers rose to touch the eyepatch over the now hollow eyesocket, trailing the edge as Thor remembered Hela's words. Now he indeed looked a bit more like their father.

His thoughts however were interrupted by a familiar figure reflecting from the mirror.

"It suits you."

That familiar voice too, but it wasn't actually him.

Thor was sure of it. After all it was he himself who sent Loki to put Surtur's crown into the eternal flame. He knew Loki so well that it was obvious the trickster had escaped the realm after doing his job and was probably somewhere quite far away already. This image wasn't actually him.

So Thor just looked at the image of his adopted brother, not giving any kind of expression. Standing in the doorway, in that same costume he wore in Sakaar. It looked so much like him. But no, it wasn't.

"I might give you a hug if you were actually here," Thor replied, throwing the item he was holding in his hand towards the image. He knew what to expect. It would go through and there would be a glimmer of green telling that it was just an illusion. Because when had it not been an illusion. It seemed like Loki had always worn one, never truly showing what or who he was.

But instead of letting the object go through, the image raised its hand and caught the item.

 _Wait_ …

Thor stood in silence, looking at the hand that now held the item and then at the owner of that hand. Those narrow features turned from neutral to something that looked oddly warm and… something else.

"I'm here," the illusion, Loki, replied back, still holding the piece Thor had thrown at him. The green eyes looked at the God of Thunder as if waiting for a reaction or any kind of answer.

And finally it became clear that yes, this was not a trick. Not this time.

Smile, not just to lighten the mood or something like that, finally rose onto Thor's features. Genuine, happy smile that had been missing for a while.

They might disagree about many things and Loki might be beyond Thor's understanding but right now, after all of this, he was happy to see his brother. Yes, brother.

Slowly Loki lowered his hand, eyes still directed at Thor while a little smile tried to make its way to his face but was still a bit too shy to fully be a smile. " _What would Thor do now?"_ the God of Mischief wondered. In Sakaar Thor showed that he didn't care anymore so it might have been a mistake to come here now. Perhaps he should have just gone his own path and let Asgardians go their own.

But he was here now. And Thor would have the next move.

The God of Thunder walked slowly to where Loki was standing, looking at the sorcerer but not seeing any signs that he might have been caught by Surtur's flames. Always the sneaky one, able to escape anything. Even death.

Loki's lips parted a little, eyes still holding contact with Thor's but his expression was slightly unsure. His being was tense in case he would need to move quickly away from the God of Thunder. Right now there could be any kind of greeting coming, and Loki didn't want to be hit by fists that were powered up with lightning.

So when Thor finally raised his hand, Loki tensed momentarily even more, before turning his head to look at his left shoulder where that hand landed. No pressure, just feeling and making sure it truly was real. A small frown appeared on Loki's features, one that showed confusion and surprise, staying even as he looked back up at Thor.

Thor smiled. "It seems so," he said, fingers curling a little so that Loki could feel the grip. Shaking away his confusion, the sorcerer grinned and with a teasing edge in his voice, he replied: "Now give us that hug." Just like so many times he had teased Thor during moments like this, when his brother would act so emotionally, now it was just to lighten the mood. Just to make Thor laugh and let go of him, like always. What he didn't expect was Thor placing his hand from Loki's shoulder to the back of the sorcerer's back and actually pulling Loki into a hug.

The God of Mischief stood still as Thor's arms surrounded him and his jaw was placed against Loki's shoulder. The sorcerer's hands stayed at his sides for a moment, tensed and unsure where they should be put or what they should do. His mind was running through many scenarios he had expected to happen and this was not one of them. It just couldn't happen. Yet here they were.

"What are you doing?" Loki finally asked, arms still at his sides. The green eyes blinked rapidly, an action unseen by Thor whose face was beside Loki's. And Thor chuckled lightly.

His brother was confused. It was a nice change from that constantly scheming being that Loki had become during the years. "You asked for a hug," Thor answered, smile on his face as well as the tone of his voice showing his amusement. His grip around the tense form of his brother tightened for a second before he released a breath and relaxed his arms, keeping them still around Loki. "You did well today."

Loki swallowed, his chin tilting a little bit down when hearing those words. Why did they make him feel so… odd? Like in Sakaar when they talked about never seeing each other again, this too seemed to hit something. Finally letting his chin fall against Thor's shoulder, Loki raised his arms and brought them around his brother, returning the hug.

He could not remember how long it was since they had actually hugged. It seemed like all they did these days was threatening, tricking and ignoring each other. Frigga had been the one who would always hug them but the brothers, after a certain age, had stopped doing that. It just simply didn't happen anymore.

Thor's hand patted Loki's back when he felt the sorcerer return the hug. It was calming even though Thor knew that this was just a short moment. "Thank you," he said. "You really did well today."

"I know," Loki almost automatically replied back though he bit his lip immediately after speaking out loud. For some reason saying it even though it was true felt wrong. Ungrateful perhaps. This whole thing, everything after Odin died had been just one big mixture of feelings that shouldn't be there.

Sentiment.

He just wasn't used to these kind of actions.

Thor's embrace loosened so Loki did the same but instead of letting go, Thor brought his left hand to Loki's right shoulder as his right hand went behind Loki's neck, a familiar gesture that Loki recognized. Thor's one eye was bright and looked directly at the God of Michief's green ones, seeing surprise shining there despite Loki's attempt to mask it quickly.

"I mean it," he said, nodding and keeping the eyecontact they had. "Perhaps there still is a chance for you."

Loki's expression shifted to small smile, not full of mischief this time. "Perhaps." There was certain warmth in that smile and in those words, acceptance and maybe hope. Thor wasn't sure and he didn't want to get his expectations too high but still he could see the difference.

"Are you staying?" Or would he disappear like one of his illusions even though this time he truly was here. Thor was fully aware that if he wanted, Loki could leave and they would never meet again. While Thor now had his duties as a king, Loki was free to go where ever he wanted. Despite everything they had talked in Sakaar, Thor still thought that he would miss his brother despite all the mischief he had caused, if Loki chose to leave.

The green gaze was shining for a second then Loki blinked and his eyes looked almost neutral again. Would he stay or would he leave? There was no realm to rule and everything he had built after the events of Svartalfheim was gone. What would he do now? To be honest, Loki had no clear idea and he wasn't sure if Thor had one either. So they were all just moving without a direction. Perhaps they would find a path after a while and he could decide whether to follow or change course there.

Swallowing to make sure his voice would work, the sorcerer nodded a little. "Yes, I think I am," he said with a little nod. And Thor smiled, left hand patting Loki's shoulder as his right hand released its hold. For now, things were somewhat in control.

How long it would last, Thor couldn't say but right now they should enjoy the small moment of peace.

"It's good to have you here, brother," the God of Thunder replied.

Loki smiled. "Likewise," he answered back.


End file.
